


Be My Savior

by BlueHoneyBee



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-18 04:06:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4691447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueHoneyBee/pseuds/BlueHoneyBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during the aftermath of Emma's Sacrifice. Regina has to come to terms with her feelings for Emma as well as uphold the responsibility of being trusted with the dagger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be My Savior

**Author's Note:**

  * For [boomboomboom](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=boomboomboom).
  * Inspired by [Be My Savior [Fanart]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4687820) by [boomboombooom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomboombooom/pseuds/boomboombooom). 



> My submission for Swan Queen Big Bang 2015! Also I want to thank my artist Maya for choosing my fic to make artwork for! I can't wait to see it :D

“No!” Regina cried out as the sound of metal colliding with concrete faded away. Her voice, filled with anger stemmed from turmoil, ringing out into the otherwise stunned silence. Robin was still holding on to her, but suddenly, her mind reeling and rushing too much for her to notice, she was pushing forward, tearing herself out of his arms, and running over to the dagger, crashing down onto her knees as she took the dagger in her hands, her wide eyes going over the name etched into it over and over again because she just couldn’t believe it. It couldn’t be real. She blinked once, twice, three times, hoping she was just imagining it. But every time the same name stared back at her in thick, dark letters.

_Emma Swan._

“Regina…” she heard the sickeningly deep voice behind her, sensing his hand hovering over her.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” She ordered, her voice thick with emotion. She heard soft footsteps, and gritted her teeth, silently challenging him to defy her. But then…

“Mom.” Henry’s soft voice hit her ears and she lost her breath. The ever-growing boy kneeled down beside his mother, his eyes glancing down at the dagger in her hands before he looked at her face. “Mom…”

“I’m so sorry.” She said, swallowing thickly at the lump forming in her throat, choking her with emotion. “Henry I’m _so, so_ sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” He said, his arms wrapping around her neck. She wrapped hers around his back, careful that she didn’t brush the blade against him. “We’ll find her…We always find each other…”

Behind them, Snow looked at her husband with tears in her eyes and he pulled her into his shoulder, where she sobbed softly at the loss of their daughter. The sound pulled Regina out of her thoughts. She sighed shakily and gave Henry one last squeeze before releasing him, and gathering her strength to get up again, Henry following suit as she slowly stepped up to the woman she once vowed to destroy.

“Snow…” she said softly. A sob, a sniffle, and then the shorter woman pulled her head out of David’s neck and looked at her. “…I’m so sorry…This is all my-”

“No.” Snow pushed out loudly past the lump in her own throat. Before she knew it, she was throwing herself in Regina’s arms, wrapping hers around the taller woman’s back and sobbing into her chest. Regina didn’t fight it. She wrapped her own arms around the woman she once despised and let her own tears spill out down her cheeks. No one spoke as the two women stood there, trying to find comfort in each other as both their hearts shattered inside their chests.

“I’m so-”

“Don’t say it again.” Snow sobbed, pulling her head off of Regina’s chest to look up at her. “It’s not your fault. You tried to stop her. She didn’t listen…because…because…”

“Because she’s the Savior.” Regina said, a bittersweet smile forming on her lips for a second before another wave of emotion hit her. “She sacrificed herself…for…for…”

“For you…” Snow said, a small smile on her face as she nodded. “For you, Regina.”

They stepped out of each other’s hold and stood in silence for a long moment. And then Regina held her hands out, with the dagger resting across them.

“Here.” She said, waiting as Snow looked over it contemplatively.

“You keep it.” She said decisively.

“What?” Regina asked.

“After everything I’ve done. I don’t trust myself with it. I’d probably do something stupid like summon her and force her to do good deeds to try and combat the darkness.” Snow said. “I’ve done far too much in trying to control my daughter and her actions. You won’t do that, you’ll just keep the dagger safe to stop anyone else from doing it. Please. Keep it.”

“Snow…I…”

“Excuse me…” Hook’s voice jumped out at her. She turned to the man whom she’d forgotten about entirely in this whole mess. “But…perhaps…I should keep it.”

Regina gritted her teeth and clamped her fingers around the dagger protectively, there was no way in hell.

“Hook. With all due respect…” Snow began.

“We would prefer it if Regina held onto it.” David jumped in, his voice hard and as stubborn as his resolve. “It’s nothing personal and we want no hard feelings. It’s just that Regina has more experience with this stuff than you do.”

“But Emma is _my_ girl.” The pirate insisted. Regina gritted her teeth.

“It’s that kind of possessive thinking that convinces me that there’s no way in hell that you are getting your… _hand…_ on this dagger.” Regina said, reaching behind her back and slipping the dagger in under her belt directly behind her back, covered by her jacket.

“Be reasonable, witch.” He demanded.

“That’s enough.” Snow said, her voice filled with the authority of a queen as she slipped herself into the space between Hook and Regina. The taller woman was pleasantly surprised at the move, and filled with a little pride at how much of herself she could see in Snow at that point. Demanding to be heard and obeyed just like she would back when she was queen. “Regina will keep the dagger. And we’ll all work together to find a way to bring Emma back. That’s what’s important here.”

“How can you trust her?” Hook demanded, pointing slightly above Snow’s head to Regina.

“She’s more than proved herself over the years, Hook. Regina will keep the dagger. That is final.” Snow said, crossing her arms tightly over her chest to signify the end of the argument, Hook was having none of it though.

“And what makes you think you get to say what is final and what is not?!” he demanded angrily. “You’re no queen.”

“Actually.” Regina cut in, stepping beside Snow so that they face the man side by side. “She is.”

“And so is Regina.” Snow said with a smirk. “We both are. But more importantly I am Emma’s mother. I want what’s best for her, and I think, in this case, that’s Regina holding on to the dagger.”

“I won’t stand for this.” Hook seethed.

“You don’t seem to have a choice, dear.” Regina said. Hook huffed, much like a bull trying to seem intimidating, and then a hand fell on his shoulder.

“That’s enough mate. Come on, let’s go get a drink.” Robin said with a sigh. Hook shot equal glared to Regina and Snow before turning around and walking away.

“I’ll keep an eye on him.” Robin said. Regina nodded.

“Thank you.” She said. He nodded back, hesitating only for a moment before he followed the pirate down the street. She let out a deep sigh when he was gone and then turned back to Snow and Charming. “Thank you, both of you.”

“We need to stick together. It’s what Emma would want. She wants us to find a way to bring her back.” Snow said.

“We’ll work together. Like we always have.” Regina said.

“Operation Swan is on.” Henry announced. Regina and Snow smiled at him as Charming rolled his eyes.

“Do we really need a name?” he asked.

“Yes.” Both women and Henry jumped at him. He went wide eyed and lifted his hands in surrender.

“Now. Let’s all go back to our place, I think we could _all_ use a drink.” Snow sighed. Regina nodded and the four of them started walking to the Charmin’s loft together. Regina couldn’t push it out of her mind the whole way there, that it should be the five of them…

 

* * *

 

She’d been sitting up in her bed for half an hour, not reading, not watching television or playing on her phone or anything any normal person would do when they sat up in their bed in the dark just before they fell asleep. Just sitting. Motionless, as her mind played the whole scene back to her, as if she needed a reminder of how Emma came charging forward, how she _begged_ her not to do it. How Emma’s tear filled eyes broke her heart as swirl after swirl of darkness flashed in between them. How she declared Regina’s happiness far more important than preserving her heart from the darkness. How she stabbed at the thick fog that threatened to eat Regina whole, releasing her from it’s bond, and sacrificing herself in the process. How their eyes met as she pushed against Robin’s arms to try and stop her. And then she was gone. Leaving only a falling dagger behind. The dagger that now sat on her bedside table.

Regina sighed and looked to it. It sat face down on the piece of furniture, she’d rested it that way purposefully, because seeing that name etched into the blade was too painful. She took it in her hands, holding it for a moment before turning it over and tracing her fingers over the thick, bold, black letters that made up Emma’s name.

“You idiot…” she sighed. Swallowing back the lump in her throat, she put the dagger back down on the bedside table and shift, slipping down further beneath the sheets and closing her eyes, hoping and praying that she would be able to get some sleep.

 

She was startled for a second by a huff of wind from behind her. Had she left the window open? She shifted and turned over onto her side and looked at the window. It was still shut tight. So where did the wind come from? She didn’t realise there was a dark figure lounging on her chaise until.

“Evening, Regina.”

She shot up into a sitting position, the angle change allowing to see Emma’s pale face in the moonlight. She seemed to be clad in all black clothing and…was that thick eyeliner?

“Emma? You startled me.” She said, reaching over and flicking on her bedside lamp to allow herself to see Emma better. Yes, that was eyeliner, and she was wearing black jeans and black boots and a black leather jacket and a black tank top instead of her usual white one.

“You really took the title ‘Dark One’ to heart, didn’t you?” Regina remarked.

“Cut the crap. Why’d you summon me?” Emma asked bluntly. Regina lofted an eyebrow at her.

“I didn’t…” She thought for a moment and then looked back up at her, unimpressed. “You answer to ‘you idiot’?”

“Personally I prefer “I summon thee.” But I’ll take what I’m given. You summoned me.” The blonde answered.

“I didn’t, though.” Regina said. “I was talking about you, granted to myself, but I didn’t summon you.”

“Oh, but you did.” Emma said, standing up. “You said some form of title, nickname, whatever, of mine while wishing I was present and holding the dagger. That’s the criteria.”

“I _did_ call you by a name, I _was_ holding the dagger, but I didn’t wish-”

“Cut the crap. I can tell you’re lying, and it’s not just the super power anymore.” Emma said. “Well technically it is, but it’s a different one. Doesn’t matter. I can’t leave until you tell me what you wanted.”

“I didn’t want anything.” Regina shook her head. But then she frowned and sighed. “I am glad to see you’re alright, though.”

“That’s relative.” Emma shrugged.

“Physically alright.” Regina amended.

“Fair enough. But I still can’t leave. You wanted something, it might be lying within your subconscious and you might not be aware of it but you want something from me and I can’t leave until you tell me what it is. Rules of the dagger.” She explained and looked at her expectantly. Regina frowned and furrowed her brow as she searched the deepest darkest corners of her mind to find what she wanted from Emma. And then it jumped out at her.

“Why?” Regina asked.

“I can’t read minds, Regina.” Emma rolled her eyes.

“Nor can you use yours, apparently.” Regina rolled her eyes. “Why did you jump into that swirling vortex of darkness for _me,_ of all people?”

“I told you.” Emma said.

“My happiness.” Regina sighed.

“Yeah…Why isn’t Robin here?” Emma asked. Regina rolled her eyes.

“You _really_ think I want him here tonight?” She asked. Emma shrugged. “I don’t. Besides he’s taking care of your boyfriend and making sure he doesn’t do anything stupid or harmful, like trying to break into my house to steal the dagger.”

“He wanted it?” Emma asked.

“He was a step away from trying to yank it out of my hands and being blasted in the process.” Regina sighed. “Your parents wanted me to keep it. Snow especially, she was vehement about it.”

“Good.” Emma said.

“What?” Regina asked.

“You’re the only one I trust it with.” Emma said with a shrug. “David would let Snow call the shots, he always has, he kind of needs to grow a pair. Snow…Well we know what she does in the face of darkness, she tries to force lightness, which somehow always ends up being counterproductive. Hook…he…I don’t know…I wouldn’t feel good knowing he had it.”

“Neither would I. He can get you to do anything he wanted with this thing. I wasn’t going to give him that much power over you. Not with his possessive nature.” Regina admitted. Emma nodded in agreement. “But why do you trust me not to do the same?”

“I just do.”

“Why?”

“Because…Because you’re not that person. You’re good. You won’t force me to do anything, good or bad, selfish or not.” Emma sighed. “The only other person I trust that much is Henry. And he’s a kid, this isn’t something he should have to deal with.”

“I agree. Doesn’t mean he won’t put himself into it for your sake, though.” Regina sighed. “We’re going to work together Emma, we’re going to get you back.”

“Did Henry give it a name?” Emma asked.

“Operation Swan.” Regina said with a smirk. Emma smirked back.

“Good, I like it.” She nodded.

“It’s got style.” Regina reiterated what Emma had said about Operation Mongoose. The blonde rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

“So you’d prefer Robin out taking care of Hook instead of here with you?” She asked.

“Yes.” Regina nodded. “Things are…still complicated.”

“They seemed fine a few hours ago.” Emma pointed out.

“I may have been riding high on the joy of coming back from that horrible alteration of our lives.” Regina sighed. “But…There are some things I just can’t let go…”

“The baby?” Emma asked.

“Among other things.” Regina sighed. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Fine.” Emma shrugged. “I’ll leave you to sleep now.”

“You don’t have to.” Regina said. “Why don’t you stay?”

“I don’t particularly want to.” Emma sighed. “But if you really want me to, I suppose you could just use the dagger. It’s up to you.”

Regina gaped for a second, glancing at the metal dagger shining in the light of the lampshade. But she shook her head.

“Never.” She sighed.

“Okay then. Goodnight Regina.” Emma nodded.

“Emma…” Regina called out again. “I…th-”

“No need.” Emma stopped her. “I’ve got your back, remember?”

It was like someone pushed Regina into a portal to the past. A memory flashed at her, so violently vivid it was as if she was there again.

 

_Ms. Swan, one thing is abundantly clear. You’ve never had my back…and you never will._

 

Followed by

 

_You’ve worked to hard to have your happiness destroyed._

 

“Emma!” She called out, her voice thick with the sudden onslaught of emotion that brought a lump to her throat and tears to her eyes. But when she looked towards where the blonde had once been, all that was left was the fading wisps of black smoke. Black, where it used to be white, she noted with a heavy heart. She sighed and gulped and then couldn’t resist anymore as she threw herself face first into her pillows and let her emotions take over and rack her body with heavy sobs as tears fell endlessly into the night.

 

* * *

 

 

Regina woke up the next day with no memory of ever actually falling asleep. It must have just happened when her body was to worn out from the crying. She sighed, she could still feel the dry tear tracks on her face, and wiped at them furiously. She didn’t wake up with the usual energy she always did, but she wasn’t surprised. That energy always came from a good night’s sleep, which she definitely did not have last night. She was haunted by nightmares of Emma being swallowed whole by the darkness. Some of them were exact play-by-plays of what had happened in the middle of town. Other were variations of what could have happened to the blonde. She didn’t want to think about any of them. She sighed again, glancing for a moment at the dagger. For a brief second, she was filled with hope. A small sliver of it, that her mind held onto and ran wild with, making her reach for the dagger. Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe Emma hadn’t sacrificed herself, maybe nothing happened and she was still asleep in her bed at the loft. Maybe if she checked the back of the dagger, it would still be empty, or with someone else’s name. Maybe…

 

_Emma Swan._

 

She sighed and dropped the dagger again. Hope, she was horribly reminded, was a dangerous thing to have. She huffed, opening the drawer to her bed side table and throwing the dagger in there, shutting it with one quick sweep and a slam. If she didn’t have to look at it, she didn’t have to check it.

Her mind was pulled away by a knock at her door.

“Mom?”

“Come in Henry.” She said, getting up and out of bed as he came into the room, already fully dressed.

“Grams wants us to meet at her place for breakfast.” He said.

“Oh…” she sighed, a rejection already on her lips. But then it hit her that Snow probably wanted to start trying to find a way to bring Emma back. And so did she, she made no effort of hiding, so she nodded. “Give me some time to get ready.”

“Okay.” He said. “Oh…she asked you to bring the-”

“I know.” She nodded, not wanting to be reminded of that thing unless she absolutely had to. She knew she had to, in this case, but at least she wouldn’t have to hear the word. Henry nodded to her in understanding before he stepped away from the door and closed it behind him. Regina let out a sigh and rubbed furiously at her eyes. She didn’t want to even bother with going through the process of getting herself ready. But she would always be presentable, so with a flick of her hands she magically changed from her pyjamas into a pair of suit trousers, a white shirt and a black button up vest. She went to her closet and picked out a purse, packing her things into it and then, very quickly and very reluctantly, she pulled the drawer open and grabbed the dagger, slipping it into her purse without looking directly at it in a rather obvious attempt to not look at it.

 

She went downstairs to find Henry watching television while he waited, and the first thing he asked when she came into his view was if they could drive to Snow’s apartment, not poof.

“I think I’ve seen enough magic for a while. And I know I’ll have to see a lot more before things get fixed. But it’s the little things you know?” he said with a shrug. Regina tilted her head to the side as she nodded. He was keeping his expressions stoic ever since last night, and he’d talk about what happened, but very indirectly. Regina sighed as she realized that her breakdown last night may have lead Henry to believe he needed to stay strong for her. She put a hand on his shoulder when he got up off the couch and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Mom?” he asked curiously. She gave him one last squeeze before she pulled back, hands still on his shoulders as she looked straight into his eyes, trying hard not to think about how quickly she’d stopped needing to look or crouch down to be at his eye level.

“I know I may have freaked you out last night and that it wasn’t perhaps the reaction you would have expected. But please don’t feel like you have to hide what you’re feeling.” She took a deep breath and gulped before her next admission. “She means a lot to _both_ of us, Henry. Not just me, but also not just you either.”

“What’s going on with you two?” he asked.

“It’s entirely way too complicated. I barely understand it enough myself, I can’t even begin to imagine you doing so.” She said.

“Maybe I’m smarter than you think.” He said with a cocky little smirk that caused her to smile, but also sent a pang of pain right through into her heart. _God he looks so much like her._

“Well in that case if you’re able to figure out what’s going on, do share your infinite wisdom.” She said only half sarcastically. He picked up on it though, and so nodded in response.

“We should go, Grams is waiting on us.” He said. She nodded her head towards the door and they walked out, into the car Regina felt like she hadn’t driven in ages.

“Want me to drive?” Henry asked with a smirk.

“Henry, dear, if I wanted to die I would rather the act at least leave my body presentable for the funeral.” She said. He chuckled as she started up the car.

 

It took them a good twenty minutes to get to the Charming residence. They went right up to the apartment door and Henry knocked. They heard rushed footsteps coming towards it from the other side and within a few seconds, Snow’s panicked features greeted them.

"Oh thank God." The short haired woman sighed in relief when she was met with Henry and Regina's face.

"That's not something I ever thought you'd greet me with." Regina said sarcastically.

"Yes well unexpected things happen when all hell breaks loose. PLEASE come in." Snow said, opening the door wider for them to enter. Regina's eyes went wide at the sight she was next met with. Charming was standing in the middle of the room looking exasperated. Not that that was anything new, but when she looked over at the couch she could see why.

"Robin?" she asked in genuine surprise and shock. "What are you doing here?"

The man looked like all hell. He was scruffy, more so than usual, and he looked like he hadn't slept a wink. He also looked green enough for Regina to be reminded that she needed to check on Zelena when she got the chance.

"I came to help." He said, his voice groggy.

"You look like crap." Regina said bluntly. "What happened to you?"

"Bit too much rum." Hook, who was sitting next to the famed thief, spoke up. He didn't look much better, but him Regina didn't blame, for once. "The man tried to drink his own weight of the stuff but all he's ever used to is ale and the odd glass of whiskey. Certainly not enough to prepare him for last night."

"If you knew this why did you let him drink so much?" Regina asked.

"He's a grown man, lass, my telling him to stop didn't have much effect." Hook sighed. Regina did as well. The fact that she and the pirate were in sync for once bothered her but she let it slide for now.

"Robin. Go home." She ordered rather than suggested.

"I want to help!" Robin said rather loudly-and petulantly-before dropping his head in his hands and groaning in pain.

"Robin, I truly mean no offence when I say this, but your particular set of skills are practically useless. We're talking about magic here, not sneaking into a window or firing an arrow." Regina said, crossing her arms.

"I took on the dark one!" He practically shouted, causing baby Neal to whine and start crying at the rude awakening.

"Now look what you've done." Regina muttered. "You didn't take on the dark one, you ran in through a window, got caught and nearly skinned alive and then the maid helped you escape."

"I can take on the dark one." Robin insisted grumpily as he stood up suddenly, only to stumble and fall back down on the couch, nearly on top of Hook.

“Stop being ridiculous.” Regina demanded. “You could barely handle the dark one when it was Rumple. This is _Emma_ we’re talking about. Even in her usual situation she was the most powerful user of magic I’ve ever seen, Dark One included. Now she _is_ the Dark One. Barely any of us stand a chance against her and I’m sorry to say this Robin, but least of all, you.”

Robin looked at her, his bloodshot eyes telling her that she’d wounded his pride, but she was unapologetic about that. If that’s what it took to get him out of here then so be it. Him and his damned idea that he’s got the heart of a lion would get him killed one day.

“You couldn’t even handle that darkness in it’s weakest form, it tossed you away pathetically.” She went on. “Get up, get out, go home. Take a couple of aspirin and sleep off the headache that you undoubtedly have.”

“I’m not a child.” He practically growled.

“Then I suggest you stop acting like one.” Regina snapped. Robin gulped, but made no other protest. “Now go.”

He huffed angrily and got up, with Hook’s help, and brushed past Regina as he left the apartment without another word.

“Well, now that we’ve got the rabble out.” Regina sighed. “I suggest we get started.”

“Oh we’re still waiting for-”

“I do apologise for our tardiness.” Rumplestiltskin's voice suddenly caught all their attention. He was holding his weight on his walking stick with one arm, the other looped around Belle’s who greeted them all with a smile, as she always did. “What have we missed?”

“Nothing of importance or value.” Regina sighed as she shrugged off her coat and hung it up on the hooks by the door.

“Come in, please, sit down.” Snow said, always the good host even in dire times.

“Was that Robin Hood we saw leaving?” Belle asked as she lead and helped Rumple sit into a chair. The lack of magic in his system that had held him up for so long left him weak, especially in his walking.

“It was.” Regina said dismissively.

“He seemed to be in rather bad shape. Is he all right?” Rumple asked. Regina rolled her eyes, why the hell were they still talking about this?

“He’s fine. Just hung over. _You_ seem to be in bad shape. How are you?” She asked, genuinely concerned about her former teacher’s wellbeing. He smiled, a genuine smile that no one had ever seen from the man.

“I’m doing fine, thank you Regina. A little weak, but after years of relying on magic, what else can one expect?” He asked.

“Do you still have magic?” she asked. He shrugged.

“I’m not sure. I’d rather not try to do anything right now, but I didn’t have magic before I killed Zoso, so I doubt I do now that the darkness is gone.” He sighed. “A clean heart, I’ve found however, does not mean a clean conscience.”

“Yes, well.” Belle said, turning and smiling to her husband, placing a hand on his arm. “Now that you’re no longer corrupted by the darkness, you cans tart making amends.”

Rumple opened his mouth to speak but they stopped when Snow whimpered a little. Regina looked over to the shorter brunette.

“Snow?” she asked in concern. Charming stepped up right to his wife’s side.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” He asked.

“C-c-corrupted?” She said, her words shaky. Regina could tell she was holding back tears. She stepped up in front of the shorter woman she once vowed to destroy and placed a hand on her shoulder, cupping her chin gently to lift her head up so that she was looking into her eyes.

“We’ll find her.” She said. Snow gulped at the words and glanced over at Charming, who smirked a little at Regina’s actions. The former queen raised her eyebrow at his reaction before turning to look back at Snow, who was now smiling up at her.

“Did you bring it?” The shorter woman asked before anything else could be said. Regina nodded and moved to pull the dagger out of her purse to show it to Snow. After a second, Snow reached for it, only to have Regina pull it up a little, out of Snow’s reach. She cringed at herself and her actions.

“Sorry.” She said softly.

“Don’t be.” Snow shook her head with a proud smile on her face. “It was a test, and you passed with flying colours.”

“All your time as a teacher has left some annoying habits, Snow.” Regina sighed and rolled her eyes. Snow shrugged and walked over to the table to take a seat, followed by her husband.

“Mom, c’mon.” Henry nodded towards the table, taking a seat in one of the three empty chairs the remained. Regina sat next to him and placed the dagger in the middle of the table as if to signify their mission.

“Maybe we should start by-”

“Wake the damned pirate up.” Regina said, rolling her eyes over Hook, who was looking down in his sitting position.

“I’m not bloody sleeping, lass.” He sighed. “I just have a splitting headache.”

“Didn’t hold back much yourself last night, did you?” Regina shot back. He rolled his eyes at her as he stood up, crossing the small space between the couch and the table and dropping himself into the empty chair.

“I had my reasons. Your man didn’t. Yet somehow it was me carrying him all the way home last night.” He said. Regina sighed.

“Well I’m sorry.” She said, he furrowed his brow at her but nodded his acceptance. “And for the record, he’s not my man.”

“What?” Snow said in Hook’s place.

“With everything that’s been going on? Between him impregnating my sister and…everything else…It’s foolish to think we were ever in love.” Regina sighed. “Perhaps I fooled myself into thinking that we were because of Tinkerbell and the pixie dust. But the universe has made it abundantly clear that he is _not_ my happy ending.”

“Well then find it.” Hook demanded.

“I _wish_ it were that easy.” Regina said as she rolled her eyes at him. “Why is it so important to you, anyway?”

“Emma sacrificed herself for your happiness.” He said. “Don’t let that be in vain.”

“How dare you.” She said darkly. “I know well enough what Emma has done for my happiness. She’s the only one who ever thought I deserved it in the first place.”

“Regina…” Snow said calmly, trying to ease the tension in the room. “…Killian…We all need to remember that we’re here to try and bring Emma back.”

“Right.” Regina and Hook sighed together, forming a silent truce between them for now.

“Okay. Now. Does anyone maybe know anything? Any leads or information they have that might be able to help.” Snow asked, her eyes looking around desperately for an answer. Regina chewed at her bottom lip nervously for a moment before clearing her throat, effectively demanding all the attention in the room.

“She…I summoned her last night.” She sighed.

“You _what?!”_ Charming, Snow, and Hook all demanded at the same time. She was taken aback at the reaction, but didn’t blame them when they didn’t have full context.

“It was an accident.” She said. That seemed to effectively pacify Charming and Snow. Hook didn’t seem convinced.

“Enlighten me, lass, how does one _accidentally_ summon the dark one?” He asked.

“Oh it’s actually quite common, captain.” Rumple responded. Regina rolled her eyes, the former dark one being this polite to everyone was a strange concept to her that she vowed she’d get used to. But that required time. Belle seemed happy about it though, so that was good, she thought.

“I told her I didn’t intend to summon her.” Regina said. “She said it didn’t matter. If I said her name and wished she was present while holding the dagger, it’s taken as a summons.”

“Okay…But why were you saying her name in the middle of the night?” Snow asked with a raised eyebrow. Regina dropped her face into one hand and swept it across her face in exasperation.

“I _didn’t._ I called her an idiot.” She said and shrugged. “Nicknames count apparently, no matter what they are.”

“It’s true.” Rumple nodded. “The dagger reads the holder’s entire Psyche. If you wish for it enough you might not even need to say her name out loud. If you want something from her, or wish to ask her something, the dagger might summon her for you. I urge you to be careful.”

“I won’t hold the damned thing anymore.” Regina sighed. “She’s become rather…broody.”

“Is she okay?” Snow asked. Regina looked up at her and couldn’t deny the shorter woman an answer. She knew the look of a mother wanting to know as much as they could about their child’s well being while said child wasn’t present.

“She’s fine, physically at least.” Regina said. “I think she’s having trouble dealing with the darkness.”

“It’s quite possible.” Rumple jumped in. Both Regina and Snow looked over to him as he spoke. “The darkness…I hate to say…is purely corruptive. It’s aim is to turn even the purest of hearts black. It’s powerful, and it twists and turns your thoughts into dark ones. It starts off small, like how you’d like to get revenge for something petty that’s happened in your past. And then it progresses further. Gets darker and darker as time passes until eventually all the light in the Dark One’s heart is gone. Taking away their power to love and their ability to live without the darkness.”

Snow looked paler than usual, like she was going to throw up.

“But…That takes a really long time, right?” Regina said, gesturing to Rumple to say something to ease Snow’s worry before she passes out.

“Yes.” He nodded, not only to sway Snow’s worry. It was true. “My heart took hundreds of years of darkness before I was ever at any risk. And I was a coward. Ms. Swan is strong, in body, mind, spirit, and will. It’s very possible, and actually very probably, that it will take _her_ heart much longer to give in to the darkness. But that means the darkness will fight back harder, make the dark thoughts stronger, deeper, more frequent. So it’s quite understandable that she’d have trouble trying to control her thoughts.”

“This is all my fault.” Snow sighed pathetically. “If I hadn’t pushed her into being free from darkness. If I’d just had faith that she would choose the right path on her own-”

“Now is not the time for ‘what ifs.’” Regina said. “Now is the time we work together and try to right our wrongs.”

“Did she tell you anything else?” Snow asked.

“Not much, I’m afraid.” Regina shook her head. A small smile appeared on her face as she turned to look at Henry. “She liked the name you gave the mission.”

“Operation Swan? She liked it?” Henry asked with a smile on his face. Regina nodded as she leaned over to kiss the side of his head.

“She loved it.” She said to him.

“I think…I can’t be sure.” Henry said. “But I think she came in to check on me.”

“What?” Regina asked.

“I feel like I remember opening my eyes at some point in the middle of the night and seeing her there.” He said. “Ugh. I don’t know though. I was half asleep. I could have imagined it, or I could have been dreaming the whole thing.”

“I have no doubt she actually came to see you.” Regina said with a smile. “Darkness or not, you’re her son and she loves you. You’ve always come first to her, Henry.”

“Except for the one time you did.” He said to her with a knowing smirk and Regina gave him a small glare as she tried to fight off the blush threatening to take over her face.

“Can we please just get on with it?” Hook said grumpily. Charming raised a brow at the pirate, who gave him a knowing glance.

“Okay.” Snow sighed. “So we’ve got unimaginable dark magic threatening to take over my daughter’s mind and heart and turn her into the most horrible force imaginable. So how do we stop it in it’s tracks?”

“You hold the dagger, you control the dark one.” Regina said, gulping before she spoke her next word. “But to remove the dark one’s magic…you need to…”

“No.” Snow said darkly.

“I wasn’t suggesting it.” Regina looked up at her. Snow sighed and nodded, she knew Regina wasn’t insinuating they kill Emma. But her mind was running at a hundred miles per hour with fear and worry.

“Darling.” Rumple piped up, turning to Belle who smiled at him, and the nickname. “Do you remember, back in the forest, when we first started falling in love with each other-”

“Oh God.” Regina groaned.

“Hang on, I think he’s onto something here.” Snow said.

“Go on, Rumple.” Belle nodded to him.

“You kissed me.” He said. “And…at that moment…Well I remember feeling the darkness…being sort of taken over by this…this light. It didn’t weaken me, perhaps the magic that came with the darkness, but not me as a person.”

“True Love’s kiss.” Belle, Snow and Regina said all at once, Belle and Snow with a smile on their face. But Regina looked sullen.

“Are we sure that’s enough?” the former queen asked. Everyone turned and looked at her like she was crazy. “I hate to be a cynic. But Belle has, to the misfortune of everyone witnessing, kissed you many times.”

“What’s your point, dearie?” Rumple asked gently. God this new Rumple would take forever to get used to.

“My point is, technically every kiss you share is true love’s kiss, if you are indeed each other’s true love. If that’s the solution how come you didn’t just stop being the dark one the next time she kissed you?” Regina asked. Belle furrowed her brow in question and Rumple sighed regretfully.

“Because, I’m afraid, I loved the darkness too much. To the point where it technically became my true love.” He answered, turning to Belle and taking her hand on the table. “I’m truly sorry.”

“Things have changed.” Belle said with a smile. “You’re not the dark one anymore. You’re just Rumple…My husband.”

Rumple smiled sweetly at his wife, completely missing Regina’s eye rolling and gagging. Henry chuckled at her and she smiled at him. At least she could make her son laugh if she were ridiculous enough. Emma wasn’t here to do it, so she would have to.

“So you’re saying that if Emma isn’t corrupted enough by darkness, that true love’s kiss can bring her back?” Snow asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

“True love is the most powerful magic there is.” Rumple said. “It can cure anything.”

“Okay!” Snow said with a grin. She reached over for the dagger, which was a mistake, because Regina grabbed it before she could ever reach it and hid it behind her back. Everyone looked at the mayor wide eyed and she gulped before pulling her arm out from behind her back again.

“Sorry. Force of habit.” She said as she put the dagger back down on the table, directly in front of her and still out of Snow’s reach.

“You’re doing what I asked.” Snow said determinedly. “Taking care of the dagger. Protecting it. That requires no apology, Regina, even if it’s me you’re keeping it from.”

Regina nodded at her thankfully, but Hook rolled his eyes.

“Yes, well, if she can stop playing guard dog now, we can summon Emma, I can kiss her and this whole mess will be done with.” He said grumpily.

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic.” Regina remarked.

“That’s none of your business.” Hook growled at her. She raised a brow at him, as if asking him if she were meant to be intimidated.

“Regina.” Snow said gently. “Would you please summon Emma?”

“Of course, she does it.” Hook muttered.

“Yes.” Snow snapped at him. “Yes, she does. Because _I_ asked _her_ to take care of the dagger. So from now on, should this plan not work, if we need to use the dagger it will be _Regina_ using it. I don’t want to run the risk of us ordering Emma to do anything either subconsciously, or consciously but without letting anyone else know.”

“And you trust the witch not to do that?” Hook asked.

“More than I trust a pirate.” Snow said, glaring at him. He furrowed his brow in shock and anger, clenching his fist tightly on the table.

“Well it’s a good thing this _pirate_ is about to save your daughter then isn’t it?” He snarled, snapping his head towards Regina. “Summon her.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” She answered calmly, turning her head to look at Snow expectantly. Snow nodded.

“Regina, please summon Emma.” She said. Regina nodded and took the dagger in her hands. She took a deep breath and brought back the feeling she’d had last night when she accidentally summoned Emma.

“Emma…” she said softly.

“Already here.” A voice came from behind her. They all jumped and looked towards the blonde who now stood in the middle of the apartment. “Did you know that when you think you do it loudly?”

“Love.” Hook said, standing up. He wrapped an arm around her hips and pulled her closer. Before she could ask what the hell he was doing, he planted a deep, rough kiss on her lips. Regina cringed and looked away for a moment, but then Hook pulled away and she saw Emma’s eyes slowly open and blink up at him.

“So?” he asked with a smile.

“Killian.” Emma sighed with a smile. Hook beamed at her.

 

But then suddenly a blast of magic came out of Emma’s hands and knocked him back, sending him flying across the room and crashing onto the couch heavily in a heap.

“Don’t ever touch me again.” She growled at him.

“Emma!” Snow and Regina both called out as they stood up together. The blonde snapped her head to the side to look at them both, eyes switching between the two of them before landing on Regina and staying there.

“You’re keeping me here.” She said quietly.

“What?” Regina asked.

“Your mind. You won’t let me leave.” She said. “You’re controlling the dagger without even realising it.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.” Regina sighed, looking at her apologetically.

“Emma.” Snow sighed and came around the table to stand in front of her daughter. She reached out to touch her, but then thought better of it. “Where did you go?”

“I’m not telling you.” Emma shook her head.

“Please. We just want to know where you are, that you’re safe.” Snow pleaded.

“I am safe. I wanna stay that way. That’s why I’m not telling you.” Emma said again. “You want me to talk you gotta use the dagger.”

Snow sighed and then turned to look at Regina expectantly. Regina looked from Emma to her and then back, before realising what was being asked of her.

“What? No.” She shook her head vehemently.

“She’s being stubborn and we need to know.” Snow said.

“You gave me this dagger because you said I was the only person who wouldn’t use it on her. I won’t do it now.” Regina denied again.

“I’m right here, Regina.” Emma said, taking a step closer to the mayor. “Don’t talk about me as if I’m not.”

Regina gulped at the sudden proximity. She and Emma stood toe to toe, literally, and darker-than-usual green eyes stared deeply into her brown ones. Regina didn’t know whether to be intimidated or excited, but the vibe Emma was giving off was almost intoxicating.

“Regina. Do it.” Snow said quietly again.

“No.” Regina said, never taking her eyes off Emma. She grabbed the dagger by the hilt and drove the tip into the wood of the table, making it stand upright and then letting it go, effectively relinquishing all control she had on Emma. But the blonde didn’t leave, she kept standing there, staring into her.

“Regina!”

“Enough.” Regina snapped at Snow. She took a deep breath before turning back to the blonde. “Emma. Will you… _please…_ just tell us where you’re staying?”

“Give me your word that I won’t be bothered unless completely necessary.” Emma said. Regina nodded.

“You have my word.” She said softly. Emma looked into her eyes for a moment longer before answering.

“Rumple’s cabin in the woods. I like the isolation.” She said, looking over to the former dark one. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s all yours, dearie.” Rumple waved off. Emma lofted an eyebrow at him and turned back to Regina.

“Since when is _he_ this nice?” She asked.

“Since when aren’t you?” Regina threw back and Emma realised what she meant.

“Good point.” She sighed.

“So that’s it then.” Hook’s voice came up as he finally replenished enough strength after the blow to stand up. “She’s fallen in love with the darkness.”

“What?” Emma asked.

“I kissed you and it didn’t work. You’ve tasted the darkness, you’ve let it consume you.” Hook said almost accusingly.

“I didn’t fall in love with the darkness, Hook.” She said, her eyes cold and unforgiving. “I just never fell in love with you.”

His face went white and his blood ran cold through his veins. But he took a deep breath and let his head fall.

“Ah.” Was all he said. Gritting his teeth and looking away. Emma turned to look back at Regina, then looked at Henry, giving him a small smirk. He attempted to return it, but it was weak and only served to remind her that she wasn’t the same mother now that she was to him before. She turned and put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

“Listen to your mom, okay?” she said. He smiled at her brighter then and nodded. She ran a hand over his hair before turning back to Regina. She didn’t know what to say to her, but she wanted to say so much. And Regina felt the same as she stood there wringing her hands nervously.

“We won’t stop looking Emma.” She finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I never doubted.” Emma responded. “If you come to the cabin, bring the dagger. I might need something to stop me.”

“I trust you.” Regina said with a shake of her head. “You’d never hurt anyone.”

“It’s different there.” Emma said. “At that cabin I’m alone with my thoughts. Thoughts that get morphed and twisted into…into…”

“Okay.” Regina nodded, a hand going over to Emma’s arm reassuringly. Emma looked at it for a moment and Regina retracted it nervously.

“Can I go?” Emma asked. Regina looked at Snow, who’d been looking down at the floor looking distraught. She turned to look at everyone at the table, all sullen faces. There was too much sorrow in one room, and it was suffocating her. And she realised that maybe it was suffocating Emma even more.

“Yes.” Regina said with a nod. Emma nodded at her before being engulfed in a giant cloud of black smoke and disappearing behind it. Regina took in a deep breath and sighed, her shoulders slumping down and her head falling. She moved and dropped herself into her chair rather ungracefully and pulled the dagger out of the wood of the table.

“Well that was a waste of time.” Hook said grumpily as he pulled his chair back roughly and dropping into it. Snow moved to sit back down as well and dropped her head into her hands.

“This is all my fault.” She sighed again.

“No. It’s not.” Regina said. The former sighed mournfully and looked down at the table.

“You’re right Regina.” Hook said. “It’s not her fault. It’s yours.”

“Hey now.” Charming chastised.

“Hook that’s not fair.” Snow piped up. But Regina sat up straight in that moment, her anger fuelling her newfound energy.

“Like I asked her to jump into that swirling vortex of darkness?” She barked at the pirate, her voice rising along with her emotions. “I told her to stop. I told her that we’d find another way. But she’s a big, dumb, stubborn idiot that for some reason keeps putting my happiness first. And she just…she just…”

“Shh.” Snow’s arms were suddenly around her shoulders and there were tears stinging Regina’s eyes as she realised that in the middle of her tirade the shorter woman had gotten up and wrapped her around around her in an attempt to soothe her. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, unaware of where the sudden onslaught of emotions came from. “It’s alright, sweetie. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

She suddenly found herself out of energy and dropped her head onto Snow’s shoulder, placing her hand over Henry’s that had suddenly dropped onto her forearm in a show of support.

“Thank you.” Regina said weakly to Snow. The other brunette smiled and gave her a quick, reassuring squeeze before releasing her.

“Well.” Rumple sighed. “I feel we’ve had enough sorrow for one morning. Allow me to treat you all to breakfast at Granny’s. Perhaps the ideas will flow better once we’ve had some food an replenished our energy.”

“Wow, you’d do that grandpa?” Henry asked.

“Grandpa?” Charming said, hurt in his voice and eyes.

“He’s my grandfather too.” Henry said, an apology already on the tip of his tongue. But instead he smiled at the man. “Don’t worry. He’s grandpa, you’ll always be gramps.”

Charming nodded with a smile after a moment, he could live with that.

“Alright.”

“Thank you Henry, that means a lot to me.” Rumple said with a smile to the boy who reminded him so much of his late son. Henry smiled back at him. The man he knew all his life to be the scariest, most evil man in town was actually a really nice guy once he wasn’t being corrupted by darkness, and Henry genuinely liked him, so he got the title of Grandpa.

“No problem.” The boy said.

“Come then, let’s get some food in us, shall we?” Rumple said again. Everyone nodded their agreement as they started getting up and getting their coats on. All except for Regina and Hook, who sat at the table still, looking weak and broken.

“You guys coming?” Charming asked.

“Just a moment.” Hook spoke up. “I’d like to have a word with the queen in private.”

“If you two start a fight, don’t trash my apartment.” Snow said warningly. Regina gave her a wry smirk and Snow winked at her before going out through the door that her husband had opened for her. Henry gave his mother a kiss on the cheek before leaving with his grandparents. All four of them. _God that’s so weird._ He thought as he helped Belle assist Rumple down the stairs.

“So what is it then?” Regina asked Hook once the rest of the team had left earshot distance.

“I feel the forest thief was onto something last night.” He said, slouching forward and resting his arms on the table. He looked sullen and resigned to a reality he didn’t want to face, but had to.

“Robin?” Regina asked with a furrowed brow. “What did he say?”

“In his state of inebriation he expressed the suspicion that something was going on between you and Emma behind closed doors.” Hook said, looking at her accusingly.

“Excuse me?” Regina asked. “That’s preposterous. We were both in relationships until quite recently.”

“You’re saying nothing ever happened between you two?” Hook asked.

“I’ll admit that yes, we do have a strong bond, both through our magic and through Henry.” Regina said, shaking her head and looking down sullenly at the table. “But no…we’re just…friends.”

“You don’t seem quite happy at that fact.” Hook remarked. Regina sighed.

“I want to get her back. I thought her kissing you would fix everything.” She said with a frown. “Hope continues to be good for nothing but causing me pain.”

“Perhaps I’m not the person she should have kissed.” Hook said.

“Henry?” Regina suggested. Hook shook his head and gave her a knowing look. She gazed at him questioningly before she realised what he meant and then gaped at him. “You’re insane.”

“Robin thinks so as well.” Hook said.

“That you’re insane?” Regina asked. He chuckled a little and shook his head.

“That your true soulmate is not him, but Emma.” Hook said. “Seemed rather beat up about it too.”

“Is that why he got himself blind drunk?” Regina asked.

“Aye.” Hook nodded. “Said he should have just stayed in New York. Also said he wished you’d never showed up there, then he could still believe that Zelena was Marian and they could have had their baby together in peace.”

“Ungrateful bas-” Regina stopped herself and sighed. She could see Robin’s reasoning, though it didn’t stop the pain. Once again doing something good blew up in her face. “Well if he wants to raise his baby with Zelena then he can be my guest.”

“You’re giving up on your man then?” Hook said.

“I already told you. He’s not my man. Especially not when he can’t appreciate that I tried to save him.” She shook her head. “God this is all just one big mess.”

“I can’t help but agree.” Hook sighed. “You have to try and kiss Emma.”

“I say again, Hook, you’re insane.” Regina said, shaking her head again. “Emma…she…she doesn’t love me…Not like you think anyway.”

“Do you really think someone like Emma, someone who’s only ever protected herself in the past, would sacrifice herself to the darkness for just anyone?” Hook asked. “I know I may seem like I don’t care, Regina, but I do listen sometimes. She may not love me, but I do love her…And so do you.”

Regina looked at him with a pained expression. She was still having serious trouble dealing with those feelings, but hearing the words out loud made it too real. The fact that she couldn’t come up with anything to say in contradiction only made it worse.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” She asked weakly.

“Because we both love her. We both want her back.” Hook sighed. “I’ll make you a deal, Regina.”

“I’m not in the business of making deals with pirates.” She said in an attempt to shoot him down.

“Hear me out.” He said, she sighed and gestured for him to continue. “If you attempt to kiss her, and it works and she’s freed of the darkness, then you have my word that I will step aside. I won’t bother Emma anymore, I won’t make attempts to mend our relationship. I’ll simply step down and let you claim her heart, which you would have already done anyway because of true love’s kiss.”

“And if the kiss doesn’t work?” Regina asked after a moment.

“Well then, she’s fair game.” Hook said. Regina sneered at him.

“You’re disgusting, Hook.” She spat. “’Fair game’? Emma is not a piece of meat or some kind of trophy to be won.”

“I didn’t mean to imply-”

“I know what you meant to imply.” Regina stood suddenly, hovering over him, effectively intimidating him as he tried to shrink further into his chair. “Mark my words, pirate, I’ll kiss her. And when it works you’ll never get your dirty hand on her ever again. And if it doesn’t, I’ll make _sure_ you don’t.”

Without another word, she stormed off, grabbing her coat, purse and scarf on the way out to catch up with Henry and his grandparents at the diner.

 

* * *

 

 

She’d gone to the office later that afternoon, after insisting with Henry that he go to school and that they try to live as normally as they could. He said he wouldn’t concentrate on what he was doing anyway, and she just gave him a sad smile and admitted that she wouldn’t either. Whether it was the idea that they were in the same boat, or something Regina just couldn’t put her finger on, her saying that seemed to pacify him enough to convince him to go to school. And, despite her not really wanting to either, she went to the office, where she sat now, pretending to go through paperwork when really she was staring at the dagger that sat just above the paperwork she was meant to be approving.

“Why don’t you take a picture? It’ll last longer.” An all too familiar voice said, causing her to jump in her seat.

“Dammit! Emma, you can’t keep popping in like that.” Regina practically shouted, looking up at the blonde who was laid back on the couch in her office.

“Then stop summoning me.” Emma said coolly.

“I didn’t even say anything that time.” Regina said, suddenly confused.

“Really? Damn, then you must be thinking really loudly.” Emma shrugged.

“This isn’t funny. If you think this is some joke-”

“I of all people know this isn’t a joke Regina.” Emma practically snapped. Suddenly she disappeared, before popping up in a standing position, leaning over Regina’s desk and cause the brunette to push herself back in her seat in shock.

“How-”

“You think it’s fun? Getting called at random and you have no choice but to answer. Not knowing what the hell is going to be asked of you next.” Emma was practically growling as she spoke, and amidst the darkness, Regina could see a twinge of fear that tugged at her heart.

“I would never ask you to do anything, especially not anything you don’t want to do. Two of the three times I summoned you were accidents. The other was-”

“A ploy to get me to kiss Hook.” Emma said in disgust.

“We’re trying to bring you back.” Regina said, tears stinging her eyes. “We thought maybe true love’s kiss would-”

“Only you were dumb enough to believe that he was my true love.” Emma spat.

“Well you seemed pretty hooked on him, pardon the pun.” Regina said. Emma rolled her eyes.

“Look who’s gained a sense of humor.” She said sarcastically. “What in the hell made you think that?”

“Maybe telling him you love him before jumping into the swirling vortex of darkness?” Regina said as if it were obvious. Emma rolled her eyes.

“I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done to get him to step back and let me handle things. That’s one of them. But sometimes when it comes to men, you need to play with their hearts to get what you want.” She said, and Regina swore she could hear the regret in her heart.

“Do you regret your sacrifice?” she asked.

“That depends, why aren’t you with Robin?” Emma asked. This time the eye-rolling was done by Regina.

“If you think I was going to jump into his arms right after you disappeared, you’re wrong.” She sighed. “Besides, things with Robin haven’t worked out. He regrets my trying to save him…I suddenly can’t help but agree.”

“So you’re saying it’s over?” Emma asked.

“It’s painfully obvious that it is. So much for pixie dust.” Regina sighed again. Emma pulled a chair closer to her with her foot and dropped into it with a rather graceful thud. Regina noted how less clumsy and more smooth she’d become since last night. Probably due to the magic, it had a tendency to make you use it in even the simplest things like sitting down.

“You were a fool to ever believe pixie dust could lead you to your true love.” Emma said bluntly.

“Excuse me?” Regina said.

“Think about it, Regina.” Emma said, adjusting herself in her seat. “True love is the most powerful magic of all. More powerful than even the dark one’s magic. Definitely more powerful than a handful of magic gem dust.”

“What are you saying?” Regina asked.

“I’m saying, even I couldn’t give you your true love, how can pixie dust be expected to? It can give you an illusion of it, just like a love potion can hypnotise someone into thinking they love you. But it will never be real.” Emma explained.

“So you’re saying that…” Regina trailed off with a sad sigh.

“I’m sorry Regina, but Robin was never your meant to be.” She said. “You can’t use magic to find someone like that.”

“So the pirate was right then.” Regina said with a frown.

“About what?” Emma asked.

“About your sacrifice being in vain.” The brunette admitted. Emma raised a brow at her.

“I don’t believe that.” She stated.

“You don’t?”

“You’ll find your happy ending. There was no way you would ever find it as the dark one. And like I said…”

 

You’ve worked to hard to have your happiness destroyed.

 

“It didn’t have to be you.”

“Regina…I told you…”

 

_Henry brought me to Storybrooke to give everyone their happy ending. Including you._

 

_I made you a promise I intend to keep. Everyone deserves their happy ending._

 

“I _know_ what you told me, Emma.” Regina said, tears springing up in her eyes again. But when she opened them, the seat in front of her was empty, leaving behind only wisps of black smoke that disappeared into thin air.  And suddenly Regina had another unwanted flashback, of the last few wisps of darkness that lagged behind when Emma disappeared less than twenty four hours ago. And before she could stop herself, she was bursting into tears and heavy sobs.

 

* * *

 

 It was seven in the evening, and she decided as a split decision after being trapped in her own mind all day, that she’d go talk to the one person she thought she would never speak to about these things. But she couldn’t deal with all her feelings on her own, and for once, she didn’t want the distant, calculated and professional mind of Archie Hopper, she wanted the soft and sympathetic ways she knew she could only get from one person, which is why she was knocking on their door at that moment.

 

“Regina?” Snow said in curiosity and slight worry when she opened the door and found the brunette standing there, wringing her hands and biting her lip.

“Good evening.” She said with an unsure smile. “May I come in?”

“O-of course.” Snow said, still confused and curious as to why Regina was willingly standing outside of her apartment unplanned, let alone wanting to come _inside._ But they were friends now, she knew that, so she stepped aside and let the taller woman in, offering her a seat and making her some tea before they sat together at the table.

“I can’t say I’m not surprised to see you here.” Snow said.

“I could say the same thing about myself actually.” Regina said, picking at the slit in the table where she’d stabbed the dagger into it earlier that morning.

“You look like you have a lot on your mind.” Snow stated before sipping her tea. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“For once? Yes.” Regina said with a sigh. Snow was genuinely surprised, she thought she’d get a flat out no or some kind of snarky remark. That’s when she knew that whatever this was, it was serious. Regina was looking down and playing with the small chipped pieces of wood on the table like she was afraid to look Snow in the eyes and that alone let the shorter woman know that something serious was up. Usually Regina was so confident, even at her lowest she was full with this fire that seemed like it could never be put out…Until now. Snow nodded and took a deep breath, tentatively placing her hand on Regina’s in an attempt to comfort the former evil queen.

“I’m all ears.” She said, giving Regina a warm smile when she looked up at her questioningly. Regina gave her a weak smile back, but tears were welling up in her eyes and she looked back down almost immediately. “Regina what’s wrong?”

“I think…I think I’m in love.” Regina said thickly.

“What?” Snow practically squealed. “Regina that’s wonderful! So you and Robin-”

“Oh don’t make me sick!” Regina snapped. “It’s not with Robin.”

“Oh.” Snow said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“No you shouldn’t have.” Regina sighed shakily.

“You’re acting like being in love is a bad thing.” Snow said with a confused look on her face. “Regina all you’ve ever wanted was your happy ending…why aren’t you happy?”

“Because despite my being in love with someone they…they aren’t around…I can’t tell them or show them…I doubt they even feel the same way.” Regina explained.

“I’m sure whoever he is-”

“I never said _he.”_ Regina pointed out. Snow’s eyebrows sprang up for just a moment before she nodded.

“Okay…so it’s a she?” she asked to be sure. Regina hesitated, but nodded. “Alright. I’m sure whoever _she_ is, she’s amazing. And she loves you just as much as-”

“She’s your daughter.” Regina blurted out. Snow blinked at her like she’d said something crazy and then her eyes went wide like she’d just made some sudden realisation of something that had been in front of her the whole time.

“I… _knew it!”_ She practically squealed.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh my God. Regina, have you ever seen the way you look at her? Seriously it’s like you think the sun shines out of her hair or something.” Snow grinned and squeezed Regina’s hand happily.

“Well it’s very bright so on a sunny day-”

“Oh my God, this is incredible!” Snow was bouncing. _Why does there have to be bouncing?_

“Will you _please_ knock it off?” Regina deadpanned.

“What? Why? Regina this is good! This is a good thing!” Snow exclaimed.

“No!” Regina shouted in frustration. “No! No it’s not!”

“Why not?” Snow asked, confused.

“Because there is no way in hell she loves me back!” Regina practically growled through her teeth. “She’s the Savior and she’s this…this… _good_ person. She’s the hero and I’m the villain and we just don’t mix. It’s not how the story goes…She may be my happy ending but I’m not hers. I don’t stand a chance.”

Regina lowered her head into her hands which were propped up by her elbows on the table. Snow looked at the image of the once proud and strong but now practically broken woman in front of her and something inside of her snapped as she took in everything Regina had said.

“How… _dare you._ ” The shorter woman demanded.

“What?!” Regina asked in confusion, looking up at her with tears in her eyes.

“How dare you. Regina Mills. How dare you sell yourself so short after all you’ve done to redeem yourself? How dare you look at yourself and all you’ve done in the past three years to be good and still call yourself a villain?” Snow demanded, she was practically fuming and for a moment Regina was actually scared she was going to hit her.

“I…”

“ _Worse yet.”_ Snow went on when she’d taken a breath. “How can you look at Emma and see what she’s done for you, hear what she’s said to you. Seen the way she _looks_ at you, and say that she doesn’t love you just as much as you love her?”

Regina was speechless, which was good, because Snow had gone off on a tangent and there was very little stopping her at this point.

“She _sacrificed_ herself to the darkness for you! Sure she’s all talk about how she’s the Savior and she’s here for the whole town and blah blah blah but _come on._ You’d have to be blind not to see how she feels about you. Hell you’d have to be _deaf_ too, have you heard half the things she’s said to you? I can come up with a few if you’d like.” She rambled on. “ _’I’m gonna stick by you. I’m gonna get your back while you do this’_ For one. OH and let’s not forget of course…”

 

_You’ve worked too hard to have your happiness destroyed._

 

It flashed through Regina’s mind for the millionth time.

“Not to mention the potentially hundreds of other things she said-” Snow went on until she was cut off by the sound of Regina slamming her fists down on the table so hard the tea cups fell over.

“ _YES._ There were hundreds of other times. _Yes._ I heard every. Single. One of them.” Regina screamed at the top of her lungs. “And in case you haven’t noticed, Snow, I’ve been killing myself in my head with the memory of every single word she’s ever said to me ever since she jumped into that _stupid_ vortex of darkness like the heroic _idiot_ that she is.”

She pulled the dagger out of her purse to show it to Snow.

“Seeing her name etched into this hunk of metal every fucking time I look at it makes me sick to my stomach. You want to talk about darkness? She hasn’t had a shred of darkness in her heart since she was born and now she’s full of it! And I’m reminded of that every time I look at this _stupid_ dagger!” She was furious, there were tears in her eyes she didn’t even bother acknowledge and a fire in her mind that Snow knew could only be fuelled by the anger and passion of wanting to get your true love back. “I’m wracking my brains trying to find a goddamn way we can get her back. She’s the only person who’s ever seen me for _me_ and not the evil queen or a redeemed version of that. I’m a _person_ to her Snow and it kills me that she gave up her happiness for mine. But it’s not my fault that your daughter is an _idiot!”_

In a fit of rage she threw the dagger out of her hand towards the door. But just then…

“Damn Regina what’s so important you-UGH.”

The voice startled both women and they snapped their heads in the direction of Emma’s voice just in time to see the dagger stab into the middle of her torso and knocked her into the ground. Both women lost their breath and Regina could feel the pain clenching and claiming her heart.

“Emma!” they both rushed forward, but Regina got there first, kneeling down next to the blonde who was trying to control her breathing and not panic. “Emma….I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay.” Emma said weakly.

“No. No it’s not.” Regina shook her head in panic as she saw dark wisps of smoke come out of the wound where the dagger was still sticking out of. “You’re dying…”

“They’ll find a way to stop you from being the dark one.” Emma said, turning to look at Snow for a moment. “Won’t you mom?”

“Emma…” Snow shook her head. Regina’s tears started falling onto Emma’s jacket and the blonde looked over to her.

“Hey hey, it’s gonna be okay. You won’t be the dark one for long I-”

“I don’t _care_ about that you idiot.” Regina spoke through the lump in her throat. “I don’t want you to die.”

Emma blinked at her, her eyes losing focus for a second which caused Regina to let out a sob. She was losing her.

“Regina…” Emma said weakly. She was fading and she needed to tell the brunette what she’d been hiding all along.

“Don’t.” Regina shook her head. “Just…”

“Regina!” Snow jumped in. “Do it. Now!”

“Do what?” Emma asked.

“I…”

“Do it!” Snow practically screamed. Regina took a deep breath before leaning down and connecting her lips to Emma’s. The blonde went stiff for a moment and Regina clutched at her jacket in fear that it was too late. But a moment later she felt Emma’s lips push back against hers and deepen the kiss and she lost her breath as she put her hand under Emma’s head and held it up so she could kiss her better.

 

They felt a strong spark crackle in between their lips as a bright white light emanated from it, wrapping itself around them and shielding them from Snow’s view, enveloping the dark smoke that was coming from Emma until it engulfed and consumed it completely. The two women could feel the magic buzzing in between them as they wrapped their arms around each other, totally lost in each other like they’d been dreaming of for so long.

 

A few moments later, as they pulled away from each other slowly, hesitantly, the light faded, allowing Snow to see them better with happy tears in her eyes and a grin on her face. The dagger was gone, and with it Emma’s wound. There was a light in her eyes that couldn’t be mistaken. The darkness was gone from her heart as she grinned, her forehead pressed against an equally happy Regina’s.

“You did it.” Snow said, causing them to look up at her and both blush slightly. “Oh I’m so happy for you two!”

She leaped forward and pulled them into a strong hug and they chuckled as they hugged her back. After a few moments they got up off the floor and Regina looked at Emma nervously, to which Emma responded by pulling her into a tight hug and kissing her cheek.

“I knew you’d save me.” She whispered in her ear. Regina felt the words in her heart that was beating faster and felt lighter than ever.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Snow squealed in the background and then apologised for ruining the moment, though not very well, as she squealed again mid-apology. Soon they were interrupted again by the sound of the door swinging open suddenly.

“Mom!” Henry ran in, but then stopped in his tracks, causing Charming to bump into his back.

“Henry what-…Oh.”

“Ma!” Henry called out happily as he saw Emma.

“Hey kid!” She said with a grin as he flew into her arms.

“You’re okay!” he said happily. Regina grinned at the sight in front of her as Emma held their son tight.

“I’m okay.” She sighed happily, looking at Regina over his shoulder. “All thanks to your mom.”

“What happened?” Henry asked. “We saw this bright white light shine through the whole town we thought it was all gonna blow up or something then we realised it was magic. _Light_ magic.”

“Yes, light magic.” Rumple’s voice caught their attention as he held onto Belle and came into the room as quickly as he could. “Very _very_ powerful light magic…the only kind you get from the ultimate true love’s kiss…Good to see you again Miss Swan.”

“Good to be back Gold.” Emma nodded.

“May I enquire as to where the dagger is?” he asked. Emma furrowed her brow and looked at Regina, who shrugged in response.

“It just…disappeared.” She said to the older man. He smiled in response.

“Well then, my dears.” He said to the whole room. “My suspicions have been confirmed. Whoever shared that true love’s kiss, their love is powerful enough that the darkness and it’s need to tether to a human form has been completely eliminated.”

“Wait so…” Emma stopped to process and looked at Gold again. “That’s it? No more dark one?”

“The dark one is a thing of the past, Dearie.” He said with a relieved smile that Emma shared. Be it for centuries or for a couple of days, they both knew that that darkness was horrible and terrifying and they were glad to be rid of it once and for all.

“So who was it? Who kissed?” Henry asked excitedly.

“Snow did you kiss her on the cheek like she’s always embarrassed about?” Charming asked with a grin. Snow shook her head.

“I didn’t kiss her…Regina did.” She said, smiling at the taller woman who blushed a little.

“Mom?” Henry looked to Regina, who looked up at him with a smile. “Is it true?”

“Yes. Henry, yes it is.” She said softly, smiling at him, then turning to Emma, who reached over and laced her hand with Regina’s as she smiled at her.

“This is amazing!” he said, lunging forward and hugging them both tightly. They both smiled at each other as they hugged him between them and Emma shifted a little so she could place a soft kiss on Regina’s cheek.

“Looks like the Savior just got saved, huh?” she said with a grin.

“And by the evil queen, no less.” Regina said sarcastically. Emma shook her head.

“By Regina Mills.” She corrected. Regina’s heart swelled in her chest and she wrapped an arm around Emma and pulled both her and their son tighter into the hug.

“Well, isn’t that a sweet sight.” A british accent pulled them out of the trance they’d lost themselves in. They pulled away from each other and looked up to see Hook brushing past Charming to come inside. He looked at Regina with a small smile. “So it worked then, has it?”

“Yes.” Regina prickled. “It has.”

Hook nodded concedingly.

“Very well then.” He said, stepping closer to Emma and placing his hand on her shoulder. “Swan, it’s good to have you back. I hope you and Regina will be very happy together.”

“Hook…I’m sorry about what I said…It-”

“No need. I understand. And I’m happy you’re back, and with your true love.” He said.

“Thank you, Hook.” She said, leaning forward and hugging him for a moment before pulling back.

“Well, now that that’s done. I think I’ll be off and leave you to your celebrations then.” He said.

“You don’t wanna join us?” Charming asked.

“Not this time, mate. I know where my place is, and this isn’t it.” He said. Charming placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

“You did good buddy.” He said quietly.

“I know.” Hook said with a nod. “Have a beer with me tonight after your family gathering is done?”

“I’ll try to get out early.” Charming said quietly and winked at him. Hook smirked and rolled his eyes before he stepped out of the apartment.

 

“Well, Hook was right. This does call for a celebration!” Snow said with a grin.

“Dinner at Granny’s?” Emma guessed.

“No.” Regina jumped in. “I think this calls for something a little more special. Let’s all go back to my place and we can have a big family dinner there.”

“Family?” Snow and Emma said at the same time. She smiled at Snow, and the looked deeply into Emma’s eyes and nodded.

“Yes, Family.”

* * *

 

 Later at dinner, just after desert, Regina was in the kitchen putting the last of the dishes into the sink when she turned around and leaned against the counter, looking into the dining room at Henry who was talking to Belle and Snow about something with this bright, happy light in his eyes that Regina couldn’t deny she felt as well. The happiness that, up till now, she’d seen all around her, but she never felt. That is until a certain blonde showed up. The same blonde who was coming up beside her just then.

“Hey.” Emma spoke softly. Regina turned to her with a smile as she put her wine glass down.

“Hey.” She said with a grin, turning fully to her and reaching over to take Emma’s hands in hers. “How are you feeling?”

“Better…Much better…Thanks to you.” The blonde said with a grin. Regina shrugged.

“Well all worked hard trying to get you back Emma-”

“But it was you. Don’t de-value that. It was you, and your hard work and your love that brought me back.” Emma said with a certainty in her voice that left Regina unable to argue. Still something was niggling in the back of her head.

“I nearly killed you.” She said, looking down and frowning for a moment.

“Well yeah.” Emma shrugged. “But you _didn’t.”_

“Emma-”

“If that knife didn’t go into me would you have kissed me like you did?” Emma asked.

“Well…It would have probably taken me longer.” Regina admitted.

“Exactly. Longer for you, longer for me trapped in the darkness that you pulled me out of.” Emma said.

“The darkness you jumped into for me.” Regina added. Emma nodded. “Why did you do that? And don’t just say it was for my happiness, you know now without you, it’s non-existent.”

“Not that I believe you’re totally unhappy without me…”

“Emma-”

“ _But._ As true as that is, I may have been selfish in my reasoning.” Emma admitted.

“How so?” Regina asked with a quirk of her eyebrow.

“I was faced with the idea of you being lost to the darkness for a second time in your life and I couldn’t bear it.” Emma said. “I experienced first hand what it was like to look at you and see nothing but darkness and evil in your eyes. When I went back in time with Hook and accidentally interfered with everything. At one point-”

“We met…” Regina said, her morphed memories coming back to her. “While I was the Evil Queen.”

“Yeah…” Emma nodded. “And when I looked in your eyes at that moment I…All I saw was emptiness. No Henry, no curse, you were after my mom…all you wanted was your happiness but it looked like you didn’t even have a shred of it. And when that darkness wrapped itself around you, I thought of you going back to that. Becoming empty again, lost in that darkness. And I didn’t want you to go through that again.”

“I fail to understand how that could be considered selfish.” Regina said with a smile.

“I should have had faith in you.” Emma reasoned.

“Emma, darkness is a scary game to play.” Regina said with a sigh. “I probably wouldn’t have been as strong as you were.”

“Strong?” Emma asked sarcastically. “I locked myself up in a cabin in the middle of the woods because I couldn’t handle the thoughts that were running through my head.”

“Yes, you did.” Regina nodded. “When you could have let those thoughts cloud your mind and your judgement and went ahead and terrorised the entire town…Something I would have undoubtedly done, considering that whether I like it or not I still have darkness in my heart.”

“You wouldn’t have.” Emma said. “I have faith in that.”

“Yes, well, lucky for us, we’ll never have to find out. The Savior destroyed the darkness and the dark one once and for all.” Regina said with a grin.

“Okay, hang on, we both destroyed that darkness and you can’t go stealing my title.” Emma said, causing Regina to chuckle.

“Yes, yes we did.” Regina said, tugging Emma closer to her. “And I’m so glad to have you back.”

“You never lost me.” Emma said with a grin as she wrapped her arms around Regina’s hips. “Darkness or not, my mind was constantly on you.”

“Is that so?” Regina asked.

“Oh yeah.” Emma nodded. “Only the darkness made it a tad more interesting.”

“How so?” Regina asked interested as Emma leaned in, brushing their lips against each other. She moved over to skim her lips over Regina’s ear and breathe into it hotly before speaking, her arms moving over the brunette’s body as she did.

“I couldn’t get my mind off of you…” she whispered, causing chills to run down Regina’s spine and make her shiver.

“Emma.” She spoke softly.

“It was the only fun part…”

“Swan…”

“I love it when you say my name.”

“Mom?”

“Huh?”

“Henry!”

“Oh God.” He groaned and covered his eyes as the two women jumped apart. Emma’s face was bright red immediately. Regina was able to maintain a bit of composure.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Henry.” Regina said, turning to her son who was still covering his eyes.

“Yeah, sorry kid.” Emma said, smiling up at him as he peeked from behind his hands to see if it was safe before dropping his hands completely.

“Go on a first date or something first guys, God.” He said as he turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen.

“Did he just-” Emma began.

“He’s growing up with your mouth, we better get used to it.” Regina rolled her eyes.

“You love my mouth.” Emma said with a wink.

“Yes well I would prefer it not be on our son, thank you.” Regina retorted with a smirk.

“I can think of a few places you want it on…” Emma said with a wicked grin as she stepped closer to the brunette again.

“Emma Swan you stop changing the subject right now.” Regina ordered.

“Or what, you’ll punish me?” Emma said with the full intention of sounding sexy. But the memory it brought on for Regina made her burst out laughing. Emma went wide eyed at her and tried to understand why she was laugh. “What? What’s so funny?”

Regina couldn’t answer, she just shook her head and waved her off as she walked out of the kitchen to join her dinner guests.

“What the hell?” Emma said to herself before following Regina out into the dining room. 

* * *

 An hour and a half later the night was winding down. Charming had left early stating he’d take the morning shift for Emma so she could take a few days to get back on her feet (Snow wouldn’t find him home, but she knew why and she understood.) And Rumple and Belle left a little after him since Rumple was still weak and needed rest, which everyone understood. Soon after them, Henry made the comment of being tired and bid everyone a good night before retiring to his room. Which just left Snow, Emma and Regina. But Snow wanted to go pick up Neal from Granny’s before it got too late. So they were saying their goodbyes at the door before Snow kissed Emma on the cheek and hugged Regina and left.

“Well…” Emma sighed as she was moving to reach for her jacket. “I guess…I should go too.”

“Unless…” Regina said and bit her lip in hesitation before she continued. “Unless you want to…maybe…stay?”

“You want me to stay?” Emma asked in slight awe. Regina smiled at her and nodded.

“I do…I can’t imagine another night without you honestly.” She admitted with a slight blush. Emma smiled at her warmly and stepped closer to her.

“You mean that?” she asked.

“Of course I do.” Regina said. Emma reached over and took one of Regina’s hands, but before she knew it, Regina twisted her hand to hold Emma’s and twirled her around before she pulled her into her arms.

“Whoa…” Emma said with a smile. “Where’d you learn how to do that?”

“I grew up watching princes woo princesses, I picked up a few tricks. That one I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.” Regina said with a grin. “I’ve just been waiting for the right moment, with the right princess.”

Emma grinned at her with a blush and leaned forward to kiss her. Regina sighed into the kiss happily as she pulled Emma closer.

“So uhmmm.” Emma stammered, the blush still on her face. “What do you wanna do?”

“Well…You did get some ideas into my head earlier. But we’re not obligated to follow them if you don’t want to.” Regina said. “Honestly Emma I don’t care what we do as long as I’m with you.”

“…These ideas…” Emma said with a smirk. “Care to share?”

“I feel like a demonstration would be adequate if you’re willing.” Regina said, her voice dropping an octave and sending chills down Emma’s spine.

“Oh God…Yes please.” Emma said, her eyes growing dark. Regina smirked at this reaction.

“Very well then…” she said, her lips brushing against Emma’s. Emma gently cupped the back of Regina’s head and pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. Regina’s breath hitched at the sudden move as she wrapped her arms around Emma’s neck. Soon Emma was moaning at the feeling of Regina’s tongue slipping past her lips and she swore she could feel the magic sparking between them.

“I think…” Regina said in between kisses. “…That we should move this to the bedroom.”

Emma responded with a moan because her brain forgot what words were at that point. Not wanting to lose time, Regina used some of the, currently surplus, magic in her system to poof them to the bedroom in a second flat and once that was done, Emma was unbuttoning her shirt and shrugging it off before attaching her lips to Regina’s once more.

“Mmmh.” Regina moaned as she attempted to unbutton her own shirt. Her hands were gently pushed away by Emma’s who took over the job.

“I always dreamed of this.” Emma whispered against Regina’s lips, causing the brunette to smirk. “Seeing beneath that damned third button.”

“I could tell…” Regina said, more than a little proud of herself. “Your eyes wander far more than you think.”

“Can you blame me?” Emma sighed as she pulled Regina’s shirt off of her arms and stepped back to look at her for a moment. “Fuck…You’re beautiful.”

And Regina felt it, because no one had looked at her like that in years and finally it was the right person looking at her like that and speaking to her like that and she lost it for a moment as she pulled Emma towards her again suddenly and knocking them both down onto the bed. But neither noticed as they lost themselves in a tangle of hair and hands and skin and kisses and touches and moans. Soon both their trousers were off, followed by underwear and Emma could have sworn her mouth watered at the sight of Regina’s naked body. Regina lost her breath at the way Emma was looking at her. And she knew then and there she’d want Emma to look at her like that forever. And when their eyes connected, she knew she would get exactly that. And then Emma’s lips landed on her neck and she forgot about everything, including her own name. The world disappeared for both women that night. All that existed was them and their happiness and how much they loved each other.

 

 

 

 

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Be My Savior [Fanart]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4687820) by [boomboombooom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomboombooom/pseuds/boomboombooom)




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